Mark 12
Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Vineyard Owner
12 He(A) began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard,(B) put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 2 At harvest time he sent(C) a servant(D) to the farmers to collect some of the fruit(E) of the vineyard from them. 3 But they took him, beat(F) him, and sent him away empty-handed.(G) 4 Again he sent another servant to them, and they[a] hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.[b] 5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one to send, a beloved(H) son. Finally(I) he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner[c](J) of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture:(K)
The(L) stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.(M)
11 This came about from the Lord(N)
and is wonderful in our eyes?”[d]
12 They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.
God and Caesar
13 Then(O) they sent some of the Pharisees(P) and the Herodians(Q) to Jesus to trap him in his words.(R) 14 When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality(S) but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes(T) to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
15 But knowing their hypocrisy,(U) he said to them, “Why are you testing(V) me? Bring me a denarius[e](W) to look at.” 16 They brought a coin. “Whose image(X) and inscription(Y) is this?” he asked them.
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”(Z) And they were utterly amazed(AA) at him.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection
18 Sadducees,(AB) who say there is no resurrection,(AC) came to him and questioned him: 19 “Teacher,(AD) Moses(AE) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,(AF) that man should take the wife(AG) and raise up offspring for his brother.[f](AH) 20 There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring. 21 The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 None of the seven[g] left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise,[h] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”
24 Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures(AI) or the power(AJ) of God?(AK) 25 For when they rise(AL) from the dead,(AM) they neither marry nor are given in marriage(AN) but are like angels(AO) in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: I(AP) am the God of Abraham(AQ) and the God of Isaac(AR) and the God of Jacob?[i](AS) 27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”
The Primary Commands
28 One(AT) of the scribes(AU) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important[j] is Listen, Israel! The Lord(AV) our God, the Lord(AW) is one.[k] 30 Love(AX) the Lord your God(AY) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,(AZ) and with all your strength.[l][m](BA) 31 The second is, Love your neighbor(BB) as yourself.[n](BC) There is no other command(BD) greater than these.”
32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one(BE) else except him.(BF) 33 And to love(BG) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,[o] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(BH)
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(BI) And no one dared(BJ) to question him any longer.
The Question about the Messiah
35 While(BK) Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,(BL) “How can the scribes(BM) say that the Messiah(BN) is the son of David?(BO) 36 David(BP) himself says by the Holy Spirit: (BQ)
The Lord(BR) declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand(BS)
until I put your enemies under your feet.’[p](BT)
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
Warning against the Scribes
38 He(BU) also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes(BV) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,(BW) 39 the best seats(BX) in the synagogues,(BY) and the places of honor(BZ) at banquets.(CA) 40 They devour(CB) widows’(CC) houses and say long prayers(CD) just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”
The Widow’s Gift
41 Sitting(CE) across from the temple treasury,(CF) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich(CG) people were putting in large sums. 42 Then a poor(CH) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. 43 Summoning his disciples,(CI) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,(CJ) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.(CK) 44 For they all gave out of their surplus,(CL) but she out of her poverty(CM) has put in everything she had(CN) —all she had to live on.”(CO)
Footnotes
- 12:4 Other mss add threw stones and
- 12:4 Other mss add and sent him off
- 12:9 Or lord
- 12:10–11 Ps 118:22–23
- 12:15 A denarius = one day’s wage
- 12:19 Gn 38:8; Dt 25:5
- 12:22 Other mss add had taken her and
- 12:23 Other mss omit when they rise
- 12:26 Ex 3:6,15–16
- 12:29 Other mss add of all the commands
- 12:29 Or the Lord our God is Lord alone.
- 12:30 Other mss add This is the first commandment.
- 12:30 Dt 6:4–5; Jos 22:5
- 12:31 Lv 19:18
- 12:33 Other mss add with all your soul
- 12:36 Ps 110:1
Mark 12
English Standard Version
The Parable of the Tenants
12 (A)And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted (B)a vineyard (C)and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and (D)leased it to tenants and (E)went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 (F)And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 (G)Again (H)he sent to them another servant, and (I)they struck him on the head and (J)treated him shamefully. 5 (K)And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, (L)a beloved son. (M)Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, (N)‘This is the heir. Come, (O)let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and (P)threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? (Q)He will (R)come and destroy the tenants and (S)give the vineyard to others. 10 (T)Have you not read (U)this Scripture:
(V)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 And (W)they were seeking to arrest him (X)but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they (Y)left him and went away.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
13 (Z)And they sent to him some of (AA)the Pharisees and some of (AB)the Herodians, to (AC)trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, (AD)we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For (AE)you are not swayed by appearances,[c] but truly teach (AF)the way of God. Is it lawful to pay (AG)taxes to (AH)Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing (AI)their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why (AJ)put me to the test? Bring me (AK)a denarius[d] and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17 Jesus said to them, (AL)“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.
The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
18 And (AM)Sadducees came to him, (AN)who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that (AO)if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man[e] must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because (AP)you know neither the Scriptures nor (AQ)the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither (AR)marry nor (AS)are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, (AT)have you not read in (AU)the book of Moses, in (AV)the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, (AW)‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
The Great Commandment
28 (AX)And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, (AY)‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, (AZ)the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 (BA)The second is this: (BB)‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment (BC)greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that (BD)he is one, and (BE)there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all (BF)the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, (BG)is much more than all (BH)whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (BI)And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Whose Son Is the Christ?
35 (BJ)And as (BK)Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that (BL)the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, (BM)in the Holy Spirit, declared,
(BN)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies (BO)under your feet.”’
37 David himself calls him Lord. So (BP)how is he his son?” And the great throng (BQ)heard him gladly.
Beware of the Scribes
38 (BR)And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and (BS)the places of honor at feasts, 40 (BT)who devour widows' houses and (BU)for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
The Widow's Offering
41 (BV)And he sat down opposite (BW)the treasury and watched the people (BX)putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two (BY)small copper coins, which make a penny.[f] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (BZ)this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her (CA)poverty has put in everything she had, all (CB)she had to live on.”
Footnotes
- Mark 12:2 Or bondservant; also verse 4
- Mark 12:10 Greek the head of the corner
- Mark 12:14 Greek you do not look at people's faces
- Mark 12:15 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
- Mark 12:19 Greek his brother
- Mark 12:42 Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
